You've Got Mail (But How Do You Cite It?) - A Chicago Manual of Style Adventure
Ah, the letter. A beautiful relic of a bygone era, when pens scratched and paper whispered secrets. Or, you know, when your internet went down for the 8th time that week. But even in our digital age, letters hold weight. Maybe it's a grandma's heartfelt wisdom, a legal document that could hold the key to your long-lost fortune (fingers crossed!), or that epic chain mail promising seven years of bad luck if you don't forward it (don't worry, we're way past 2008).
Whatever the case, you've stumbled upon a letter and need to cite it in Chicago style. Now, hold on to your hats, because Chicago can be a bit...particular. But fear not, intrepid researcher! With a dash of humor and a sprinkle of helpful hints, we'll conquer this citation beast together.
First Things First: You Got the Letter, Now You Gotta Find the Info
Before you can even think about fancy footnotes and bibliographies, you gotta get your detective hat on. Here's what you need to find:
- The Sender and Receiver: Who wrote the letter and who got it? This might seem obvious, but trust me, after deciphering grandma's loopy handwriting, you might need a moment.
- The Date: When was this piece of history penned? Look for a date at the top or bottom of the letter.
- The Title (Maybe): Letters aren't always blessed with titles, but if it has one, snag it!
- The Location (Optional, But Helpful): Where was the letter written from? This can be especially important for historical documents.
Bonus points if you can find any additional information like who the letter is part of a collection (think family archives) or where it's currently housed (like a museum).
Footnote Frenzy: Giving Your Letter a Shout-out in the Text
Chicago doesn't do in-text citations (those little numbers in parentheses). Instead, it relies on footnotes at the bottom of the page. Here's how to craft your footnote masterpiece:
- Start with a superscript number: Place a little number after the bit in your text where you reference the letter.
- Next, write the author's last name, first initial, and middle initial (if available).
- Then, follow it up with the title of the letter in italics.
- Let everyone know it's a letter with a simple "Letter." No need to get fancy here.
- Finish it off with the date the letter was written.
For example, let's say you're writing a paper about your grandma's amazing baking skills and you want to cite a letter where she shares her secret pie crust recipe. Your footnote might look like this:
¹ Helen B. Miller, "The Secret to the Flakiest Pie Crust Ever," Letter, August 12, 2019.
Pro-Tip: If you're referencing the letter multiple times, you can use a shortened version of the footnote after the first full citation. Just use the author's last name, a comma, and the year. Easy peasy!
The Grand Finale: The Bibliography Bonanza
Now it's time to give your letter the red-carpet treatment in your bibliography. Here's where you get to flex your citation muscles:
- Follow the same format as your footnote, but ditch the superscript number.
- If the letter has a title, italicize it.
- List any additional information you found, like the collection name or archive location.
Here's how your bibliography entry for grandma's legendary pie crust letter might look:
Miller, Helen B. "The Secret to the Flakiest Pie Crust Ever." Letter, August 12, 2019. Miller Family Archives.
Remember: This is a basic format. Depending on the specifics of your letter, you might need to adjust it slightly. But don't worry, Chicago provides plenty of examples to guide you (https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/).
So there you have it! You've successfully navigated the wild world of citing letters in Chicago style. Now go forth and conquer those citations with confidence (and maybe a slice of grandma's pie for a celebratory snack).
